"I love you, too," I said, hugging her tighter.
"Where are you going tonight? Anywhere special?" she asked.
"He said we would take the helicopter to the restaurant and see the areas of Montana that I had missed on the ground," I answered.
"Well, that sounds exciting. I’ll expect an update tomorrow," she said, kissing me on the forehead.
"I am going to miss you when you leave, Mom."
"I won't be far, honey. I’ll be an airplane ride away," she said.
Examining my reflection, I realized I had chosen the dress I wore the first time I met Jack. Smiling, I thought of the dinner we shared. That woman wasn't here anymore and the dress didn't define me. Thomas had told me when he left, I had a choice to be happy or miserable. I knew he would be pleased to see I had chosen to be happy.
When I finally was ready and went downstairs, Jack was waiting for me. No matter how many times I saw him, my heart always skipped a beat.
"You look beautiful," he said.
"And you are as handsome as usual," I said softly.
Smiling, he said, "Are you ready?"
"I am. Am I overdressed?" I asked nervously.
"Perfect."
"This will be my first helicopter ride. Did you know that?"
"I didn’t, so I’ll have to make it special.”
"You being there makes it special enough, Jack."
My nerves settled as the helicopter lifted. I felt safe with Jack as he flew us above a range of mountains that seemed endless. When we reached a flat area on the top of the mountain, he hovered over a log cabin.
"This was my father's cabin. I would love to show you his favorite hideaway," Jack said.
"I would love to see it," I said.
Jack lowered the helicopter. When it touched the ground, we waited in silence as the blades slowed and then, were still.
"Will we miss our reservation?"
"No, I accounted for stopping here."
The cabin was nothing spectacular. It looked like the kind of hunting lodge you would see in movies. On the porch, there was a wooden bench with ‘Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love’ carved on the seat.
"Your father did love Shakespeare. This was from Antony and Cleopatra," I said, tracing the words.
"Did you hear that?" Jack said frowning. "Stay here. I need to check it out."
"Shouldn't I come with you?"
"No, it might be a raccoon. I’ll check and come back for you," Jack said mumbling about the pain in the ass rodents.
Sitting on the bench, I stared into the snowy distance. "Jack, I’m getting cold," I called.
When he didn't answer, I slowly opened the door, expecting the worst. In the middle of the floor, there was a row of tea lights. I followed the trail to a heart made out of more candles. Standing next to a candlelit table, Jack beamed at me. He was holding a bouquet of daisies.
Holding out the flowers to me, he kissed me gently on the cheek and then pulled out a chair for me. My place setting had a bowl of red soup with a white heart made out of cream on top. Popping the cork on a champagne bottle, he poured me a glass and then one for himself.
Sitting down, we toasted. "To us," he said softly.
I took a slow sip of the bubbly drink and stared into his silver eyes. Eyes that always held so much love and affection for me.
"How did you do all of this?" I asked.
He just grinned at me before his eyes narrowed. "Caitlyn, we’ve spent a little bit of time together and I couldn’t be more delighted to see the person you’re growing into. Growing stronger each day. I once told you I couldn't promise we would take this relationship to another level." Standing up, he said, "I've been thinking hard about us and if I am not reading it wrong, we have reached the end of that line."
Is he breaking up with me over champagne and a candlelit dinner?
Kneeling down before me, he reached into his pocket. "Caitlyn, it’s time to start a new chapter. I want to be with you every day for as long as I’m still breathing. I can't imagine a world without you by my side." Opening a box that held a yellow cut diamond encircled by beaded diamonds, he continued. "Caitlyn Chase, I want you to be my forever. I want to be the man you love for the rest of your life. Will you marry me?"
As I stared at the ring, my eyes welled with tears. "No," I murmured.
Jack was on bended knee before me. A moment I had longed for . . . hoped for and the only word I could say was no?
"I understand," he said, beginning to stand.
Pushing my chair back, I knelt down in front of him. "No, I don't mean, no I won't marry you. Yes, Jack, I will marry you."
"Why did you say no?" he asked.
"I was tongue-tied. Ask me again, I’ll do it right this time."
"You did it perfectly the first time, Caitlyn," he said, slipping the ring onto my finger and kissing my hand. "I want to apologize you’re not having the fancy meal I promised."
I took his face in my hands and kissed him. He returned my kiss with a soft, slow, breath-stealing kiss. A warm feeling grew inside me. Whispering between kisses, I said, "I want you,Jack. I want you to show me what love is."
Scooping me up in his arms, he quickly set me down and began to blow out the candles. Laughing, I began to help. "Always the safety man."
When he blew out the last flame, he picked me back up and kissed me. "Let's try this again, Caitlyn. I promise you will always know you’re loved."
In a log cabin high on a mountain in the middle of Montana for the first time in my life,I found out what it truly meant to be made love to.
Epilogue
"Grammie, Grammie, we are home!" the small boy yelled running into the kitchen.
Picking the child up, Vivian said in a singsong voice, "Oh, my sweet Jackson, I’ve been waiting for you."
"Do I have a surprise?" Jackson asked. His eyes grew wide in anticipation.
"What did you want the most for your birthday?" Vivian asked.
"A pony?"
"Besides a pony," she said, grinning.
"Chocolate chip cookies?"
Setting him down and handing him a plate of small cookies, she said, "Of course."
"He’s going to have a sweet tooth like his father if we are not careful," I laughed.
Vivian patted Jackson on the head, "Why don't you go sit with Grampie."
"Come sit with me, boy and we can share your cookies," Ben said, pouring two glasses of milk.
"How are you feeling?" Vivian said, wrapping her arm around my waist.
"The helicopter ride was interesting," I said, rubbing my extended belly, "but the doctor said everything looks good and soon Jackson will have sisters."
"Twins," Vivian said, clapping her hands together. "Oh, Caitlyn, you’ve brought so much joy to my life."
"As you have brought to mine."
"Are you two getting emotional?" Jack asked from the doorway.
Looking at my husband, the love of my life, I smiled. In the five years we’d been married, I was thankful for every moment. There was no longer a need for me to chase after something to fulfill the emptiness that had been inside me. With Jack, I had finally seen all four seasons and found my Winter.
About the Author
Marnie Cate is a writer of coming of age and urban fantasy novels. Born in an Irish mining town in Montana, she always had a flair for the dramatic and a vivid imagination and spent her childhood lost in the elaborate worlds she created with the help of her dolls. One day, Marnie Cate was struck by a powerful image in her mind. This seed created the world of Starten and the complicated world of goddesses and their touch on the mortal world. Inspired by the actress Dame Judi Dench, she pursued her dream of sharing the stories that were brewing in her mind. With the urging of friends and family, she wrote in every spare moment she had.
After countless weekends spent at the local coffee shop typing away and people watching, Marnie finished her first novel, Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic.
With the world of elemental magic and the humans they lived in released, the stories have just begun.
The Chase has inspired Marnie to expand her writing genre to include Adult Romance. When not writing, Marnie enjoys reading, coffee and spending time with her family. She lives in Arizona.
Follow me on Twitter @Marnie_Cate
Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Goodreads
Flawed Perfection: A Collection of Winter Wishes Page 48